The Propeller Club was conceived in New
York in the latter part of 1922 when a small group of marine industry men
gathered frequently to discuss mutual problems concerning American
shipping. This original group slowly expanded and on January 24,
1923, formally organized themselves as the "Propeller Club of New York,"
the keel of the the Propeller Club of the United States which was to be
founded four years later.
The name "Propeller" was chosen as being
emblematic of the driving force. During the next four years, a
similar group was founded in Boston and asked if it might also use the
name "Propeller Club." A loose affiliation was established with that
group in February 1927. In May of 1927, the Propeller Club of New
Orleans was formed and later that year, at Yale University, a body of
engineering students was organized as the first Student Port.
In November 1927, delegates representing
the four Propeller Clubs (of New York, Boston, New Orleans and Yale
University) convened in New York City. The result of that meeting
was the formation of the Propeller Club of the United States with a
constitution, by-laws, national officers and a very modest treasury.
Growth at the start was slow. It
was not until two years later that Port Number 5 was charted at Tampa,
Florida, in May 1929. Port Number 6, at Seattle, Washington (the
first on the west coast), was charted on July 6, 1929. Since then,
the organization has grown steadily. In 1932, the first overseas
port was established at Hamburg, Germany. Its membership consisted
of American citizens engaged in maritime activities.
Today, there is a Propeller Club in
practically every city of consequence in the continental United States, on
the seacoasts, the Great Lakes and the inland waterways. Overseas,
there are Propeller Clubs in Puerto Rico, Panama, Europe, Guam, Japan, the
Mid East and the Philippines.
The Port of San Francisco was the 65th
port to be established, being formed June 28, 1939. Arthur M. Tode,
then the Honorary President of the Propeller Club of the United States,
was determined that there should be a Propeller Club in San Francisco.
Arriving there in early June 1939, he discovered that there was already in
existence a club of a couple hundred members who composed "The Propeller
Club of California." Edward Hames was president. It was more
of a social club than a formally organized group and met irregularly in
the Tonga Room of the Fairmont Hotel.
Since Mr. Tode had the foresight to
copyright the name "Propeller Club," it was not too difficult to persuade
the San Francisco club to give up its name. Some thirty or more
members of that club were also persuaded by Mr. Tode to resign and form
the nucleus of the Propeller Club - Port of San Francisco. The
Propeller Club of California then became the Mariner's Club, Port of San
Francisco, which still exists today and meets regularly at monthly
luncheons.
Learn more about the Propeller
Club of the United States at
www.propellerclubhq.com. |
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